Publications

TRACIT publications

A key objective of TRACIT is to improve the knowledge base by publishing cutting-edge research on critical issues that can reshape government policy and action to control illicit trade. Watch this space for TRACIT's recent publications.

lllicit Trade in South Africa: Challenges and Solutions (October 2019)

South Africa is one of the largest and most diversified economies in Africa. The country has a well-established manufacturing base, is a major supplier of goods and services to the continent, has a large consumer base, serves as a regional transport hub, has a strong tourism and financial sector, as well as robust traditional sectors such as agriculture and mining. This diversification, however, means that South Africa also faces challenges from illicit trade on multiple fronts. This publication explores the situation in South Africa and highlights a number of regulatory and legal mechanisms that the government can implement to better control and combat illicit trade.

lllicit Trade in South Africa: Challenges and Solutions

lllicit Trade in Alcohol in India: Challenges and Solutions (September 2019)

Illicit trade in alcohol is widespread, representing significant percentages of alcohol consumption worldwide and stripping governments of billions of dollars in tax revenues. In almost all cases, illicit trade in alcohol results in serious health risks to consumers, revenue loss, and brand degradation for legitimate manufacturers, as well as reduced tax revenue for governments. This publication explores the situation in India and the causes for the flourishing trade in illicit alcohol. The problem in India is exacerbated by the massive size of the country, the federal structure, diverse drinking patterns, the varied regulatory structure and regional nuances and traditions that characterize the alcohol market. Notably, the report highlights a number of regulatory and legal mechanisms that the government can implement to better control and combat illicit alcohol.

lllicit Trade in Alcohol in India: Challenges and Solutions

lllicit Trade in Alcohol in Costa Rica: Challenges and Solutions (September 2019)

Illicit trade in alcohol is widespread, representing significant percentages of alcohol consumption worldwide and stripping governments of billions of dollars in tax revenues. In almost all cases, illicit trade in alcohol results in serious health risks to consumers, revenue loss, and brand degradation for legitimate manufacturers, as well as reduced tax revenue for governments. This publication explores the situation in Costa Rica and highlights a number of regulatory and legal mechanisms that the government can implement to better control and combat illicit alcohol.

lllicit Trade in Alcohol in Costa Rica: Challenges and Solutions (English)
Comercio Ilícito de Alcohol en Costa Rica: Desafíos y Soluciones (Español)

Mapping the Impact of Illicit Trade on the Sustainable Development Goals (July 2019)

From smuggling, counterfeiting and tax evasion, to the illegal sale or possession of goods, services, humans and wildlife, illicit trade is compromising the attainment of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in significant ways. In order to help governments and business better understand how their efforts to achieve sustainable development must account for the negative forces of illicit trade, this study maps the UN SDGs against 12 sectors that participate significantly in international trade and are particularly vulnerable to illicit trade.

Visit the Mapping the Impact of Illicit Trade on the Sustainable Development Goals page to see the report.

Size and Shape of the Global Illicit Alcohol Market (November 2018)

Illicit trade in alcohol is widespread, representing significant percentages of alcohol consumption worldwide and stripping governments of billions of dollars in tax revenues. According to Euromonitor International, 1 in 4 alcohol bottles are illicit, representing 25.8% of all global consumption.

Visit the Illicit Alcohol page for the Euromonitor Global Study on Illicit Alcohol and associated country reports.

Global Illicit Trade Environment Index (June 2018)

The Global Illicit Trade Environment Index is commissioned by TRACIT and produced by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The Index evaluates 84 countries on their structural capability to guard against illicit trade, highlighting specific strengths and weaknesses across 25 policy, legal, regulatory, economic, trade, institutional and cultural indicators.

EIU Global Report and Regional Briefings
Building on the Index data, the EIU has published several papers that cover the global and regional results, focusing on how economies score on the Index, and delving into which regional economies are taking the most action, and which ones are doing little to address this issue.

TRACIT Policy Recommendations
TRACIT has prepared a set of policy recommendations inspired by the thematic categories upon which the Index was constructed. The recommendations are universal in nature, providing a “checklist” of fundamental measures governments can implement to improve their ability to defend against illicit trade.

Global Report